A new study suggests getting fit may be more important than losing weight when it comes to reducing your risk of death.

Researchers at the University of South Carolina checked the body mass index (BMI) of more than 14,000 middle-aged men, then asked them to hop on the treadmill for a fitness test. Guys who maintained or increased their level of fitness over six years were less likely to die of heart disease or any other cause for the next 11 years.

“We also found men who lost fitness had a higher risk of death regardless of their weight change,” says study author Duck-chul Lee, Ph.D. In fact, gaining or losing weight didn’t have any effect on whether the men keeled over, once fitness was factored in.

In other words, don’t sweat it too much about your back fat despite logging time at the gym. Fitness improves your cholesterol profile, reduces heart-harming inflammation, and increases your body’s response to the hormone insulin, thereby reducing your risk of diabetes. So think about that as your target instead of just aspiring to fit into a pair of skinny jeans.